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The Old Testament and the New Testament are based upon covenants between God and His people. A covenant is a very involved form of a contract. A marriage relationship is a covenant relationship. There is the legal aspect but there is much more as far as relationship is concerned.

Blood covenants were common throughout Old Testament times. Blood covenants were much like our present day treaties between nations. They helped establish allies and trading partners.

People would enter into these covenant relationships with one another for trade or protection from common enemies. Blood covenants were common and well understood as ways to seal agreements in ancient times.

Some North American Indian tribes have a blood covenant ceremony involves the mixing of blood between the parties entering into the relationship. A cut on the arm or hand is made and the blood is allowed to flow together. Blood brothers are pledged to help one another in time of need and to share in each other's success.

Abram entered into a blood covenant with God. Abram sacrificed animals and birds. God spoke to Abram and promised him a child through his wife Sarai. God also promised him the Middle East would be given to his descendants (Genesis 15:1-18).

To this day the Arabs and Jews in the Middle East trace their ancestry through Abraham's son Isaac, and the Arabs trace their ancestry though Abraham's son, Ishmael.

Later, God confirmed his blood covenant with Abram and commanded him to be circumcised along with every male in his household. Circumcision was another form of a blood covenant. At this time God changed Abram's name to Abraham and his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah (Genesis 17:1-27).

God established another blood covenant in the desert with Moses and the Israelites. The priesthood made daily blood sacrifices as part of this covenant. This blood covenant was based upon the law given to Moses (Exodus 19:1-24:18).

God established this blood covenant and followed the customs of the day by pronouncing blessings and curses upon the covenant relationship. If Israel followed the blood covenant, they would thrive and prosper. If the blood covenant was disobeyed, they would be scattered into the surrounding nations and suffer persecution (Deuteronomy 27:1-30:20).

Later, God established another blood covenant with King David. He promised David he would produce an heir who would be a king who would endure forever (2 Samuel 7:1-29). King David was a descendant of Abraham and Jesus was a descendent from King David (Matthew 1:1-16).

Jesus was born into a line of men who had established blood covenant relationships with god. He was born at a time when Israel offered daily blood sacrifices in the temple. Jesus came and fulfilled the blood covenant obligations of Abraham, Moses and David perfectly (Hebrews 10:1-18). Jesus was the fulfillment of all the blood covenant promises ever made by God to people of faith (Acts 13:31-32, Romans 4;31).

Jesus came and established a new blood covenant sealed with His blood which was shed for many (Like 22:17-20). Our traditions of communion with bread and wine are symbolic of the new blood covenant Jesus established.

The word for "testament" means covenant. The Old Testament is the old covenant, and the New Testament is the new covenant. The idea of the blood covenant is an important theme underlying the entire Bible.

Overcoming Limits by the Blood of the Lamb
When you accept Jesus as Lord, you are entering into a blood covenant relationship with Him.. When you obey the commandments of God and love God, you will be blessed with the privileges of the new blood covenant. The blood of Jesus Christ seals our victory and triumph over limits. Jesus was known as the lamb which was slain for the sin of the world (John 1:29). Jesus was the final sacrifice. All the animal sacrifices under the old covenant were finalized with the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:9-12).

The Apostle John made an important statement about our ability to overcome limits in the book of Revelation: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lies unto the death (Revelation 12:11).

This statement about overcoming by the blood of the lamb was a reference to our redemption in Christ. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and He fulfilled all the obligations of the old blood covenants (Romans 10:4).

Jesus Redeemed You from the Curse of the Law
The old blood covenant had blessings and curses. Sickness, disease and poverty were part of the curses of the old blood covenant (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Jesus death redeemed you from the curses of the old blood covenant.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
(Gal. 3:13-14)
The blessings are all that are left after Jesus has done away with the curses. We have rights and privileges under the new blood covenant that include the blessings of the law (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

These blessings of the law go far beyond spiritual blessings. These blessings involve health and prosperity. You cannot separate health and prosperity from the blessings of the Old Testament blood covenants. Salvation, health and prosperity were all part of the blood covenant package.

The blood covenant and the communion we take with wine and bread is to remind us Jesus has redeemed us from the power of the devil.

Just like the Passover was celebrated by the Jews to commemorate their deliverance from slavery, we are to celebrate communion as a reminder that we have been redeemed from the powers of darkness. We have been redeemed from sickness, disease and poverty by the blood of Jesus.

Our redemption by Jesus' blood includes freedom from the bondage of the limits imposed by the devil. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, but we have been redeemed from his power.

We have a powerful blood covenant relationship with Jesus. We stand in victory over the power of the enemy by the blood of the lamb.

Source: No More Limits by Happy Caldwell
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers

Author Biography

Happy Caldwell
Web site: Agape Church
 
Happy Caldwell is the founder and Pastor of Agape Church, a strong, Spirit-filled body of believers in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is Founder and President of the Victory Television Network, which operates two full-power Christian television stations in Little Rock and Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is also President of the International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM) located in Little Rock Arkansas.
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